Piss boiling time
I received a mail yesterday from an old acquaintance.
That mail contained two things – a plea for help and a link.
I followed that link and by God, did my piss start to boil!
What I want you to do is to follow this link and read the item.
Now I don’t give a shit if you are a smoker or an anti-smoker, you have to agree that this is wrong. IF you don’t think there is anything wrong then I’m afraid there is no hope for mankind.
Here we have an 88 year old woman who is going to be evicted and put on the streets because of a petty piece of bureaucracy. I can see no rhyme nor reason for it. Are they concerned about her health? She has been smoking for 73 years, so I don’t think they have an argument there? Are they concerned about the neighbours? Apparently there aren’t any that could possibly be affected. Are they concerned about fire? Then surely they would have to remove all combustibles from all the residents. Are they concerned about the decor? That is the only reasonable excuse? But is it right to put an 88 year old out on the streets simply because they have to decorate her apartment more often?
My friend Rich White is rallying the troops. He is about to send a letter to the Housing Association. He is looking for as many names as possible to add to that letter. He has asked me not to publish the letter, but I’m sure he will mail a copy to you, if you ask nicely..
I beg of you to do two simple things.
Write about this yourself, or pass it on to anyone you know who writes on-line.
Send your name to Rich so he can add it to his [rapidly growing] list of signatories.
You can contact Rich through his web site – http://smokescreens.org/. Just drop him a quick mail with your name.
That’s all.
I agree.
I don’t smoke but this is just plain wrong.
So much for looking after the elderly surly the one thing this lady needs at her time of life is stability what is achieved by evicting her? sake
I just recently moved into an apartment. During my search for one I ran into the no smoking policy more than a few times. If they advertised it then fine. I didn’t respond to the advert but what got me was the people who didn’t advertise it and told me I couldn’t smoke at my home after agreeing on the place.
It’s all wrong. Whether you’re an 88 year old or much younger disallowing smoking in ones home is wrong!!
I emailed Rich and added my name to his letter.
Where’s the issue? She has the option to smoke in the designated area (and this is a home for elderly with no mobility problems), find alternative accomodation or give up smoking. The ban was put in for a good reason – the well proven dangers of passive smoking. This would be particularly the case when the neighbours are also elderly and more prone to respiratory desease. If she has tried to give up she is obviously aware of the dangers of smoking, her choice to continue would indicate she was prepared to take the risk. Her choice. Why impose her choice of lifestyle on her neighbours who have not gone the route of risking their health and that of their neighbours. You make a decision, you live with the consequences.
Where’s the issue? What? An 88 year old woman is being evicted and you ask where’s the issue?
Let’s have a look at your points, Sirvivor.
1. “She has the option to smoke in the designated area“. Of course she has. And you see no problem with forcing an 88 year old out into the cold [and it gets bloody cold in Calgary]? The ‘designated area’ has a shelter that is 50%n open to the air, and you would happily force an old woman into that?
2. “the well proven dangers of passive smoking“. Here we go again. Can you please show me this ‘well proven’ proof? I have been searching for the last couple of years for this proof and I haven’t found it yet. All I have found is lies, bad statistics and shoddy reports that rely on other shoddy reports for their ‘proof’.
3. “the neighbours are also elderly“. That’s very true but what has that got to do with it? They are not living in dormitories, but in separate apartments. Can you tell me how her smoking is going to affect her neighbours? Are you claiming that the smoke will percolate through the walls? Or is the smoke supposed to float out her windows and miraculously float in her neighbours’ windows?
4. ” If she has tried to give up she is obviously aware of the dangers of smoking, her choice to continue would indicate she was prepared to take the risk.” So here is a woman who has been smoking for 73 years. What risk exactly would she be running? That she may die young?
5. “Why impose her choice of lifestyle on her neighbours” How is she imposing her lifestyle on her neighbours, exactly? I think I covered this in point 3?
6. “You make a decision, you live with the consequences” I am sorry, Sirvivor, but I find your total and callous disregard for the wellbeing of an elderly woman to be nothing short of disgusting. Is nothing sacred just so long as the anti-smoking crusade motors on?
well said, Grandad! how far is this smoke fascism going to go? smoking’s bad for you? ok; but drinking’s bad, eating certain types of food are bad, even laying in the sun for more than x minutes is bad. will it come to a time were nothing bad is allowed. where will one’s own personal freedom stand? will the future really be the dystopian hell so many sci-fi writers predicted? for all the reasons you already expressed i really doubt her smoking physically bothers anyone either than herself so it’s sad to realize that people are really letting their own misplaced fears of mortality affect the freedom of others.
Well put Sirvivor. Couldn’t agree more. Sling the filthy old bitch out.
Nice one TT… Thanks be to the good god that someone on this blog has a sense of humour.